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#5 I remember when NASA landed the probe on the asteroid Eros back in '99 or so. 900 trillion worth of platinum on that one asteroid IIRC. What's the need to prospect when density and composition can be determined before landing? Maybe by "prospecting" they mean seeing if they can successfully land a probe and return it with payload in a viable and economical way.

#8 SciFi story on this theme in Analog decades ago. Problem was, as a letter to the editor explained, that the asteroid or whatever mass is taken from it, is going one way, and we're going another. How much energy does it take to get it--asteroid or mined mass--to where we want it? Say, to a stable orbit far out. Then, once the item is manufactured, to get it to the customer.

#12 rjschwartz
Right you are. However, in the words of the Master, TANSTAAFL.
Take a bit at a time, you need a lot of bits to be useful. Cumulatively, a lot of energy. Change orbit? Ditto.
The letter to the editor referenced asked how much energy would be necessary when you have a million-ton NiFe asteroid rotating once an hour. Memory fades, but iirc, the guy said, eighty-two Saturn Fives blasting for a week. Something like that. Then you've got that puppy continuing its orbit, but at least it isn't rotating.